You don’t, according to new Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port boys basketball coach Jeremy Macejewski.

You just have to start your own legacy.

“To put that many years into a program and have that much success — you’re not going to replace someone like that,” he said. “But I am going to show up with my hard hat and my boots every day. We’re going to be disciplined and have a workman-like mentality.”

Macejewski’s untested new style replaces the unquestioned old style of Bill McLellan, who racked up nearly 500 wins in 32 years with the Lakers. McLellan announced his retirement at the end of last season.

Now, Macejewski has the unenviable job of not only replacing McLellan, but doing so with a small and inexperienced lineup coming into the 2010-11 season.

“It’s a challenge — and that’s why I am here. I like challenges,” he said.

EPBP athletic director Mark Weidman is happy to have him aboard.

“He shows good leadership and has a good vision for the program,” Weidman said. “I think he’s going to do a really good job.”

Macejewski is off to a flying start. Though hired just a month or so ago, he already threw together a camp for the lower grade levels. He had around 40 campers here this past week for a four-day camp which worked on the fundamentals of the game.

“I really want to establish the lower level programs,” he said. “I want to form good relationships with the kids.”

Macejewski, whose parents are originally from the Port Huron area, grew up in Tennessee and went on to play football at Union College in Kentucky where he was an All-American kicker. After graduating, he got a teaching/coaching job in the Port Huron school system. He later went on to work at the Sanilac Intermediate School District, as well as the Carsonville-Port Sanilac district where he was an administrator and basketball/football coach. He finished up last year at Montrose, though due to budget cuts was laid off.

“It’s unfortunate because I really liked it at Montrose,” said Macejewski, who is a special education teacher. “But I have heard a lot of good things about Lakers. From the moment I met with the administration here, I felt their professionalism and their desire to have quality teachers in the building. That was the selling point for me, regardless of the coaching situation. My teaching job is the most important thing to me. I am glad I am in the classroom.”

He will be able to get his feet wet in the classroom for a short time this fall before hitting the hardwood for practice come November. He said he’s had limited contact with the returning players, but expects to see — and work with — all of them in the first few months of the school year.

“I know there are many good and established coaches in this conference,” he said. “I know that every night we are going to have to be prepared. We’re going to need good scouting, good game plans… I know the guy across the floor is going to be prepared, so we have to be, too.”

Expect Macejewski’s team to be disciplined on offense and to “bring it” on defense.

“I’d like to apply a lot of pressure,” he said. “I like accountability. But, of course, it’s going to depend on what we have, too.”

Macejewski still lives in the Port Sanilac area, though he would like to move to the Upper Thumb as soon as possible. His wife, Jacqueline, works in the CPS district as an elementary teacher.

“If everything goes well, I want to end my career as a teacher here,” he said. “I have been at a couple of different places and I am at a point now where I want to be somewhere for the long term.

“And, if I have some success as a coach, and they want to keep me around, I want to end my career as a coach here, too.”